Vending machine



June-15; 19% A 15588159? L, T. LEET v VENIING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1924 Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYNN T. LEET, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC,

CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO TULI? CUP CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application led February 7, 1924. Serial No. 691,120.

The invention relates to a vending machine and .particularly to a coin operated device for controlling the delivery of articles one at a time froml a suitable magazine or container. The invention is well adapted for controlling the delivery of paper drinking cups one at a time from a nested stack of such cups and 'it will be particularly described in connection with thedispensing of paper drinking cups, thel applicability of the invention, however, not being thus limited.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a delivery or dispensing device is provided which is locked against 'operation until the propel' coin is dropped into position, whereupon a detent` provided for the operating mechanismlmay be tripped by the operation of the operating mechanism of the dispenser itself, acting through the coin. Manual pressure on the operating machanism is transmitted through the coin to the latch tripping mechanism, whereupon the coin dropsl into the receptacle therefor, and a continuation of the movement serves to dispense the article. By the invention a simple, effective and positiveacting device is provided which will not readily get out of order, which is durable, contains a relatively small number of parts,

may be constructed cheaply, and which has `various other advantages hereinafter more fully to bel described.

An object of the invention is the provision of improved devices of the character re` ferred to above. The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described,

according to the preferred embodiment thereof. Other objects and advantages Iof the invention will-be pointed out more fully in the following specification and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In yorder that a clearer understanding of the invention may be had attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, and illustrating one embodiment of the invention. In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a cup dispensing machine containing one form of the invention and having certain parts removed;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial side elevationof a portion of the machine showing the tripping of vexs cup dispensing machine of this character but is not limited in its usefulness to such application.

Referring more particularly to the drawings a metal housing 1 is shown having ears 2 for securing it to a wall or other support in vertical position, it being, however, understood that the machine may be adapted to operate in a horizontal position, as well as in a vertical position, in accordance with the invention. A glass tube 3 serves as a container or magazine for nested paper drinking cups, which are to be dispensedone at a time. This container is fitted into a vertical annular flange 4 onthe housing 1.

The cup dispensing means comprises, in lthe embodiment of .the device illustrated, two cam like members, 5, 51, which are adapted to engage and forcibly separate the cups one by one from the stack in container 3.

These cams arearranged to normally supranged bottom up in container 3, the also being adaptedto forcibly separate the owermost cup' from the stack and eject it while supporting the rest of the stack by engagement with the next adjacent cup.

Cams 5, 51, are secured to shafts', 61, journalled in brackets or webs 7, 8, and 71, 81, of the housing. Shaft 6 is provided with a pinion 9, and shaft 61 with a inion 91.

Cams 5, 51, are operated toget er to eject the lowermost cup of the nested series of cups by a push rod 10 formed as a continuation of a slide bar 11, having toothed rojections 12', 13, adapted to mesh with pinlons 9, 91. A compression spring, 14, is shown as provided between' the; slidev bar 11 and a.

being adapted automatically to. returnr the sllde barll to its outer positionvl after the pressure 1s: released from the push rod 10,

` so as to return the gears and cams `to their normal positions. The extremeinner movement of the bar i-s limited .by the rear wall 16,l and the return movement of the bar is limited by the enga ement ofthe same withV the front wall 17 o the housing.A The slide ving surfaces `orshoulders v20, 21, the lowerv lInost cup of the nestedstack -normally resting on the shoulders 20. When the cams are rotated the shoulders will be withdrawn fromtbeneath the cu s and the lowermost be. pushed in the small amount required to y bring shoulder 221A into engagement with the.

cup of the stack will be 'disengaged and,

ejected by. means of .the shoulders on thel cams indicated at 21. This mechanismy need not be described in further detail, inasmuch as thesame is fully described in the applicavtion of Reifsnyder, referred to.

` In accordance with the present invention the slide rod 1-1 is provided with an abutment o r shouldered portion-or member 22, which may be securedto, or yformed integral with the slide bar. The plate 23 of the housing, on the inner side of which slide rod 11 operates, is provided with a horizontal -slot 24Htherethrough through which the abutment portion 22 ofthe slide bar slidably extends.

' A detent 25 is lp ivotally mounted adjacent: one end, as shown at 26, to the outer face vof plate 23. rIfhis detent is provided at its opposite end with a nose or offset portion 27 which in the normal positionof the parts, as shown in Fig. 1, rests behind labutment 22 to prevent the operative inward movement of push rod 1 to eject the lowermost cup from thenested stack. In the normal position of the parts, as shown in Fig; 1, a slight space may be provided between the rear edge 221 of abutment 22 and the shoulder 27 of the detent, so that the push rod may adjacent'face of the lug 27, beyond which position the push rod and slide bar 11 may not be-moved. This slight movement of the push 4bar is insuflicient to affect the nested c ups `in container '3. .y

A plate 28` is provided immediately outside of plate 23, this'plate being provided with a yvertical coin chute 29 and alsohaving a cut away portion 30 to provide' fo r the pivoted detent 25 and also of the abutment 22 on the slide bar. A

cover plate 31. may .be secured immediately outside-they 281 in'wwhih the coin ichutQ is provided.

. The slidefbar providdd-lwith a laterally ,indicated at 34, is dropped into the coin chute, it will corne to rest with one edge thereof resting against the edge vv35 of the chute, just below pin 32. On'its opposite side the "c'oinwill engage against a toe 36 formed on detent 25 and extending downwardly below the pivot 26 thereof. The pin 32 may now be approximately in alignment with the center .of the coin, and almost in engagement with the edge of the coin, the lower portion of the t'oe 36 of the detentbeing engagedv at a point diametrically opposite to pin 32. The coin slot 29 is preferably so curved or shaped as to give the coin a tortuous path, so as to render'it difficult to operate the detent. by extending a wire or the like through the slot. The edge surface 35 of the slot against which the` coin engages may be inclined in the manner indicated. "The coin being thus positioned` inward movement of the push rod causes pin 32 to press againstone edge of the coi'n audaccordingly causes the opposite edge of the coin to push against the lower portion of toe 36 of the detent so as to swing the`detent upwardly into its unlatched position, shown in Fig. 3, the shoulder- 27 of the detent preferably rising above shoulder 221 on the slide bar before the latter has quite come into engagement-therewith. The detent moves upwardly until its upper edge comes intoengagement with the upper edge -of the out away portion 30 of plate 28.

The yforward edge 37 of toe 36 of the detent will nowextend at a substantial inclination to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 3, and will form avfixed guidin vsurface for the coin, since the upper fsur ace of the detent rests against the upper edrre of cut-out portion 30, as stated. v\.1.Xccord1ngly, as the pressure of push rod 10 continues the pressure of pin 32 against the edge of the coinv will result in sliding the coin along the surface 37 of toe 36 and down through the chute, the coin dropping into an appropriate re ceptacle, (not shown). The 'movement of the pushrod, continued until the slide rod completes its forward movement, results in the operation 'of cams 5, 51, and the ejection of one cup from the machine, after which, pressure on thepush rod being released, spring 14 returns the slide'bar and colcti'ng parts to their normal positions.

v It will be noted that when the slide bar re.-l turns to its forward4 position the forward the coin slot. The coin slot and operating.

be operated in a horizonta claims.

t means?.

Iedge 38 of abutment 22 willengage against rthe rear surface 39 of toe 36 to positively return detent 25 to its locking position, shown in Fig. 1, with shoulder 27 behind shoulder 221 ofthe slide bar. l l l It Awill be noted that with the mechanism described the coin acts positively totrans mit pressure from the operating slide vbar to the detent so th'atthe inward movement of the slide bar serves positively, through the medium ofthe coin, to unlatch thel detent,

the same movement of the slidelbar'4 operating the article dispensing or ejecting mechamsm. It will also be noted that 'the detent is positively returned to its latching position on the return movement of the slide bar, neither gravity or direct spring pressure being relied on to return thedetent to operative position. Accordingly,

position, if desired, instead of in a vertical position. It

will also be noted that the pivotedv detent isA mounte on a fixed part of the apparatus in` a position which is welll rote'cted by the upper portion ofplate 28 rom fraudulent manipulation by any one operating through parts may, of course, be made accurately to size so that a coin of deslred sizel only will operate the device.

It shouldbe understood that the inven slot, adapted to latch said member, said slot having a downwardly and inwardly 'inclined side portion opposite saiddetent, said detent and s aid side portion of said slot serving as supporting stops `for a suitable coin inserted in the slot ada ted4 to support in operative positionl a suita ly sized coin, only, and means movableA with said member to press the coin against said detent'to trip the latter and to unlatch said operating member, on operation of said member, said unlatched member serving to operate the dispensing means of the machine, andthe tripping of:

said detent serving to permit the further dropping of the coin bv gravity.

2. In a vending machine, the combination or anooperating member, means for latching the same against operation, 'and means providing a coin-slot so' positioned that a coin inserted therein will restagainst ,said latchthe device may ing means, said operating member being arranged, on operation, to press the coin against said latching means to, trip the latter, land also being arranged to positively engage sald latchlng means, on the return movement of -said member, to return said latching means to latching position.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of supporting means, an operating member guided for movement thereby, a detent pivoted on said supporting means, and having a lug adaptedgto latch said-member, said supporting means having a'downwardly extend- Aing vcom slot formed thereon, said detent having-a laterally-extending toe extending into said slot when lsaid detent is in latching position, and means movable withsaid member to press a coin in said slot against 'said toe to unlatch said detent, said toe having a coin-engaging sur-face adapted cooperatively,

with said last named means, to press the coin g past't-he same downwardly and forwardly in n .8.5.

said slot after said detent has been unlatched. 4. In a vending machine, the combination -of supporting means, an operating member guided for movement thereby, a detent pivoted on said supporting means, and havinga.

vlug adapted to latch said member, said 4supporting means having a coin slot formed thereon, said detent having a laterally-extending toev extending into Saidv slot whenl said detent is in latching position, and said member having la lateral\ projection adapted to press acoin against said toe to unlatch said detent when said member is operated and the coin in said slot rests against said toe, and said member having ,a laterally-extending surface adapted to engage said toe, on the return movement of said member, to

sitio'n.

positively return said detent to latching po-P 5. In a'vending machine having a container and means for dispensing articles therefrom one at a-time, the combination of a dispensing means operating member, adapted, on the inward stroke, to operate the dispensing means of the machine, a spring for returning said member, supporting means,.hav1ng a co1n chute, a detent pivoted to said supporting .means with a toe normally extending into said chute and a lug latching said member, a lug on said member adapted to press a coin in said slot againsty said toe to trip said detent when said member is pushed in, and a lug on saidmemberadapted to engage said toe to return it to latching position when said member again moves out.

In testimony whereof I vhave signed my.

name to this specification.

LYNN T. LEET. 

